diff --git a/pkg/http/test/request_test.dart b/pkg/http/test/request_test.dart
index 5c2d98c15e5..319abfb63fa 100644
--- a/pkg/http/test/request_test.dart
+++ b/pkg/http/test/request_test.dart
@@ -13,23 +13,16 @@ import 'utils.dart';
 
 void main() {
   test('.send', () {
-    print("This test is known to be flaky, please ignore "
-          "(debug prints below added by sgjesse@)");
-    print(".send test starting server...");
     startServer();
-    print(".send test server running");
 
     var request = new http.Request('POST', serverUrl);
     request.body = "hello";
     var future = request.send().chain((response) {
-      print(".send test response received");
       expect(response.statusCode, equals(200));
       return consumeInputStream(response.stream);
     }).transform((bytes) => new String.fromCharCodes(bytes));
     future.onComplete((_) {
-      print(".send test stopping server...");
       stopServer();
-      print(".send test server stopped");
     });
 
     expect(future, completion(parse(equals({
@@ -41,7 +34,6 @@ void main() {
       },
       'body': 'hello'
     }))));
-    print(".send test started");
   });
 
   group('#contentLength', () {
diff --git a/pkg/pkg.status b/pkg/pkg.status
index 89417ddacdf..32d40682bc3 100644
--- a/pkg/pkg.status
+++ b/pkg/pkg.status
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@ unittest/test/mock_regexp_negative_test: Fail
 unittest/test/mock_stepwise_negative_test: Fail
 args/test/args_test: Fail # http://dartbug.com/6790
 
-[ $system == windows ]
-http/test/request_test: Pass, Timeout # Issue 6594
-
 [ $compiler == dart2js || $compiler == dartc ]
 unittest/test/instance_test: Skip
 
diff --git a/sdk/lib/io/http.dart b/sdk/lib/io/http.dart
index bcfa93302b8..2274673ad61 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/io/http.dart
+++ b/sdk/lib/io/http.dart
@@ -830,9 +830,16 @@ abstract class HttpClient {
   set findProxy(String f(Uri url));
 
   /**
-   * Shutdown the HTTP client releasing all resources.
+   * Shutdown the HTTP client. If [force] is [:false:] (the default)
+   * the [:HttpClient:] will be kept alive until all active
+   * connections are done. If [force] is [:true:] any active
+   * connections will be closed to immediately release all
+   * resources. These closed connections will receive an [:onError:]
+   * callback to indicate that the client was shutdown. In both cases
+   * trying to establish a new connection after calling [shutdown]
+   * will throw an exception.
    */
-  void shutdown();
+  void shutdown({bool force: false});
 }
 
 
diff --git a/sdk/lib/io/http_impl.dart b/sdk/lib/io/http_impl.dart
index bb3680c8afa..c78348120f4 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/io/http_impl.dart
+++ b/sdk/lib/io/http_impl.dart
@@ -1463,7 +1463,9 @@ class _HttpClientConnection
   }
 
   void _onError(e) {
-    // Socket is closed either due to an error or due to normal socket close.
+    if (_socketConn != null) {
+      _client._closeSocketConnection(_socketConn);
+    }
     if (_onErrorCallback != null) {
       _onErrorCallback(e);
     } else {
@@ -1473,9 +1475,6 @@ class _HttpClientConnection
     if (_response != null && _response._streamErrorHandler != null) {
        _response._streamErrorHandler(e);
     }
-    if (_socketConn != null) {
-      _client._closeSocketConnection(_socketConn);
-    }
   }
 
   void _onResponseReceived(int statusCode,
@@ -1490,11 +1489,17 @@ class _HttpClientConnection
   }
 
   void _onDataEnd(bool close) {
-    _response._onDataEnd();
     _state |= _HttpConnectionBase.RESPONSE_DONE;
+    _response._onDataEnd();
     _checkSocketDone();
   }
 
+  void _onClientShutdown() {
+    if (!_isResponseDone) {
+      _onError(new HttpException("Client shutdown"));
+    }
+  }
+
   void set onRequest(void handler(HttpClientRequest request)) {
     _onRequest = handler;
   }
@@ -1548,13 +1553,8 @@ class _HttpClientConnection
     var redirect = new _RedirectInfo(_response.statusCode, method, url);
     // The actual redirect is postponed until both response and
     // request are done.
-    if (_isAllDone) {
-      _doRedirect(redirect);
-    } else {
-      // Prepare for redirect.
-      assert(_pendingRetry == null);
-      _pendingRedirect = redirect;
-    }
+    assert(_pendingRetry == null);
+    _pendingRedirect = redirect;
   }
 
   List<RedirectInfo> get redirects => _redirects;
@@ -1594,12 +1594,14 @@ class _SocketConnection {
     _socket.onClosed = null;
     _socket.onError = null;
     _returnTime = new Date.now();
+    _httpClientConnection = null;
   }
 
   void _close() {
     _socket.onData = null;
     _socket.onClosed = null;
     _socket.onError = null;
+    _httpClientConnection = null;
     _socket.close();
   }
 
@@ -1611,6 +1613,7 @@ class _SocketConnection {
   int _port;
   Socket _socket;
   Date _returnTime;
+  HttpClientConnection _httpClientConnection;
 }
 
 class _ProxyConfiguration {
@@ -1730,19 +1733,22 @@ class _HttpClient implements HttpClient {
 
   set findProxy(String f(Uri uri)) => _findProxy = f;
 
-  void shutdown() {
-    _closeQueue.shutdown();
+  void shutdown({bool force: false}) {
+    if (force) _closeQueue.shutdown();
     _openSockets.forEach((String key, Queue<_SocketConnection> connections) {
       while (!connections.isEmpty) {
         _SocketConnection socketConn = connections.removeFirst();
         socketConn._socket.close();
       }
     });
-    _activeSockets.forEach((_SocketConnection socketConn) {
-      socketConn._socket.close();
-    });
+    if (force) {
+      _activeSockets.forEach((_SocketConnection socketConn) {
+        socketConn._socket.close();
+        socketConn._httpClientConnection._onClientShutdown();
+      });
+    }
     if (_evictionTimer != null) _cancelEvictionTimer();
-     _shutdown = true;
+    _shutdown = true;
   }
 
   void _cancelEvictionTimer() {
@@ -1768,6 +1774,7 @@ class _HttpClient implements HttpClient {
       void _connectionOpened(_SocketConnection socketConn,
                              _HttpClientConnection connection,
                              bool usingProxy) {
+        socketConn._httpClientConnection = connection;
         connection._usingProxy = usingProxy;
         connection._connectionEstablished(socketConn);
         HttpClientRequest request = connection.open(method, url);
@@ -1882,15 +1889,15 @@ class _HttpClient implements HttpClient {
   }
 
   void _returnSocketConnection(_SocketConnection socketConn) {
-    // Mark socket as returned to unregister from the old connection.
-    socketConn._markReturned();
-
-    // If the HTTP client is beeing shutdown don't return the connection.
+    // If the HTTP client is being shutdown don't return the connection.
     if (_shutdown) {
-      socketConn._socket.close();
+      socketConn._close();
       return;
     };
 
+    // Mark socket as returned to unregister from the old connection.
+    socketConn._markReturned();
+
     String key = _connectionKey(socketConn._host, socketConn._port);
 
     // Get or create the connection list for this key.
diff --git a/sdk/lib/io/http_parser.dart b/sdk/lib/io/http_parser.dart
index c4e966e31bc..1acd7ebe3a9 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/io/http_parser.dart
+++ b/sdk/lib/io/http_parser.dart
@@ -582,6 +582,8 @@ class _HttpParser {
   }
 
   void streamDone() {
+    String type() => _requestParser ? "request" : "response";
+
     // If the connection is idle the HTTP stream is closed.
     if (_state == _State.START) {
       if (_requestParser) {
@@ -589,7 +591,7 @@ class _HttpParser {
       } else {
         error(
             new HttpParserException(
-                "Connection closed before full header was received"));
+                "Connection closed before full ${type()} header was received"));
       }
       return;
     }
@@ -600,7 +602,7 @@ class _HttpParser {
       // throw the error.
       error(
           new HttpParserException(
-              "Connection closed before full header was received"));
+                "Connection closed before full ${type()} header was received"));
       return;
     }
 
@@ -614,7 +616,7 @@ class _HttpParser {
       // throw the error.
       error(
           new HttpParserException(
-              "Connection closed before full body was received"));
+                "Connection closed before full ${type()} body was received"));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_advanced_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_advanced_test.dart
index bca0def8cde..165af0b8f57 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_advanced_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_advanced_test.dart
@@ -287,9 +287,12 @@ Future testHost() {
     };
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
       Expect.equals(HttpStatus.OK, response.statusCode);
-      httpClient.shutdown();
-      testServerMain.shutdown();
-      completer.complete(true);
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        httpClient.shutdown();
+        testServerMain.shutdown();
+        completer.complete(true);
+      };
     };
   });
   testServerMain.start();
@@ -309,12 +312,15 @@ Future testExpires() {
                     response.headers["expires"][0]);
       Expect.equals(new Date.utc(1999, Date.JUN, 11, 18, 46, 53, 0),
                     response.headers.expires);
-      responses++;
-      if (responses == 2) {
-        httpClient.shutdown();
-        testServerMain.shutdown();
-        completer.complete(true);
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        responses++;
+        if (responses == 2) {
+          httpClient.shutdown();
+          testServerMain.shutdown();
+          completer.complete(true);
+        }
+      };
     }
 
     HttpClientConnection conn1 = httpClient.get("127.0.0.1", port, "/expires1");
@@ -346,12 +352,15 @@ Future testContentType() {
       Expect.equals("html", response.headers.contentType.subType);
       Expect.equals("utf-8",
                     response.headers.contentType.parameters["charset"]);
-      responses++;
-      if (responses == 2) {
-        httpClient.shutdown();
-        testServerMain.shutdown();
-        completer.complete(true);
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        responses++;
+        if (responses == 2) {
+          httpClient.shutdown();
+          testServerMain.shutdown();
+          completer.complete(true);
+        }
+      };
     }
 
     HttpClientConnection conn1 =
@@ -415,10 +424,13 @@ Future testCookies() {
         request.cookies.add(response.cookies[1]);
         request.outputStream.close();
       };
-      conn2.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse ignored) {
-        httpClient.shutdown();
-        testServerMain.shutdown();
-        completer.complete(true);
+      conn2.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
+        response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+        response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+          httpClient.shutdown();
+          testServerMain.shutdown();
+          completer.complete(true);
+        };
       };
     };
   });
@@ -439,9 +451,12 @@ Future testFlush() {
     };
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
       Expect.equals(HttpStatus.OK, response.statusCode);
-      httpClient.shutdown();
-      testServerMain.shutdown();
-      completer.complete(true);
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        httpClient.shutdown();
+        testServerMain.shutdown();
+        completer.complete(true);
+      };
     };
   });
   testServerMain.start();
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_auth_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_auth_test.dart
index 7347b5d4fd9..07705de26b9 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_auth_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_auth_test.dart
@@ -80,8 +80,11 @@ void testUrlUserInfo() {
           new Uri.fromString(
               "http://username:password@127.0.0.1:${server.port}/"));
   conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
-    server.shutdown();
-    client.shutdown();
+    response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+    response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+      server.shutdown();
+      client.shutdown();
+    };
   };
 }
 
@@ -94,7 +97,8 @@ void testBasicNoCredentials() {
     HttpClientConnection conn = client.getUrl(url);
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
       Expect.equals(HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED, response.statusCode);
-      completer.complete(null);
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () => completer.complete(null);
     };
     return completer.future;
   }
@@ -123,7 +127,8 @@ void testBasicCredentials() {
     HttpClientConnection conn = client.getUrl(url);
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
       Expect.equals(HttpStatus.OK, response.statusCode);
-      completer.complete(null);
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () => completer.complete(null);
     };
     return completer.future;
   }
@@ -175,7 +180,8 @@ void testBasicAuthenticateCallback() {
     HttpClientConnection conn = client.getUrl(url);
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
       Expect.equals(HttpStatus.OK, response.statusCode);
-      completer.complete(null);
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () => completer.complete(null);
     };
     return completer.future;
   }
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_close_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_close_test.dart
index b11499b7dbf..c46dd417a4f 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_close_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_close_test.dart
@@ -66,10 +66,11 @@ void testStreamResponse() {
     resp.inputStream.onData = () {
       bytes += resp.inputStream.read().length;
       if (bytes > 100) {
-        client.shutdown();
+        client.shutdown(force: true);
       }
     };
   };
+  connection.onError = (e) => Expect.isTrue(e is HttpException);
 }
 
 main() {
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_header_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_header_test.dart
index 617854a3e22..ead20673abe 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_header_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_connection_header_test.dart
@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ void test(int totalConnections, bool clientPersistentConnection) {
       Expect.isFalse(response.persistentConnection);
       checkExpectedConnectionHeaders(response.headers,
                                      response.persistentConnection);
-      count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        count++;
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_content_length_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_content_length_test.dart
index 917b014c1de..47ef9416691 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_content_length_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_content_length_test.dart
@@ -38,10 +38,13 @@ void testNoBody(int totalConnections, bool explicitContentLength) {
       Expect.equals("0", response.headers.value('content-length'));
       Expect.equals(0, response.contentLength);
       count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
@@ -82,10 +85,13 @@ void testBody(int totalConnections) {
       Expect.equals("2", response.headers.value('content-length'));
       Expect.equals(2, response.contentLength);
       count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_redirect_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_redirect_test.dart
index 668225e3502..4ea9fe061ce 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_redirect_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_redirect_test.dart
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void testManualRedirect() {
      client.getUrl(new Uri.fromString("http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/1"));
   conn.followRedirects = false;
   conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
-    response.inputStream.onData = () => response.inputStream.read();
+    response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
     response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
       redirectCount++;
       if (redirectCount < 10) {
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_server_early_client_close_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_server_early_client_close_test.dart
index 66a2b06d28d..5d23fc4be9f 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_server_early_client_close_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_server_early_client_close_test.dart
@@ -63,17 +63,18 @@ void testEarlyClose() {
   // The empty packet is valid.
 
   // Close while sending header
-  add("G", "Connection closed before full header was received");
-  add("GET /", "Connection closed before full header was received");
-  add("GET / HTTP/1.1", "Connection closed before full header was received");
-  add("GET / HTTP/1.1\r\n", "Connection closed before full header was received");
+  String message = "Connection closed before full request header was received";
+  add("G", message);
+  add("GET /", message);
+  add("GET / HTTP/1.1", message);
+  add("GET / HTTP/1.1\r\n", message);
 
   // Close while sending content
   add("GET / HTTP/1.1\r\nContent-Length: 100\r\n\r\n",
-      "Connection closed before full body was received",
+      "Connection closed before full request body was received",
       expectRequest: true);
   add("GET / HTTP/1.1\r\nContent-Length: 100\r\n\r\n1",
-      "Connection closed before full body was received",
+      "Connection closed before full request body was received",
       expectRequest: true);
 
 
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_server_handler_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_server_handler_test.dart
index e44a6cf458e..62d77ede50c 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_server_handler_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_server_handler_test.dart
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ void testDefaultHandler() {
       conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
         Expect.equals(HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND, response.statusCode);
         Expect.equals("Non Trouvé", response.reasonPhrase);
-        done();
+        response.inputStream.onClosed = done;
       };
       conn.onError = error;
     };
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_session_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_session_test.dart
index 2b7f81c6080..1538c2c56e1 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_session_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_session_test.dart
@@ -30,8 +30,11 @@ Future<String> connectGetSession(int port, [String session]) {
     request.outputStream.close();
   };
   conn.onResponse = (response) {
-    client.shutdown();
-    c.complete(getSessionId(response.cookies));
+    response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+    response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+      client.shutdown();
+      c.complete(getSessionId(response.cookies));
+    };
   };
   return c.future;
 }
diff --git a/tests/standalone/io/http_shutdown_test.dart b/tests/standalone/io/http_shutdown_test.dart
index c661778781f..1d19e962a2d 100644
--- a/tests/standalone/io/http_shutdown_test.dart
+++ b/tests/standalone/io/http_shutdown_test.dart
@@ -22,11 +22,13 @@ void test1(int totalConnections) {
       request.outputStream.close();
     };
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
-      count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        count++;
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
@@ -51,11 +53,14 @@ void test2(int totalConnections) {
       request.outputStream.close();
     };
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
-      count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        count++;
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
@@ -85,11 +90,14 @@ void test3(int totalConnections) {
       request.outputStream.close();
     };
     conn.onResponse = (HttpClientResponse response) {
-      count++;
-      if (count == totalConnections) {
-        client.shutdown();
-        server.close();
-      }
+      response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
+      response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
+        count++;
+        if (count == totalConnections) {
+          client.shutdown();
+          server.close();
+        }
+      };
     };
   }
 }
@@ -113,6 +121,7 @@ void test4() {
   var client= new HttpClient();
   var conn = client.get("127.0.0.1", server.port, "/");
   conn.onResponse = (var response) {
+    response.inputStream.onData = response.inputStream.read;
     response.inputStream.onClosed = () {
       client.shutdown();
     };
@@ -137,13 +146,14 @@ void test5(int totalConnections) {
   for (int i = 0; i < totalConnections; i++) {
     var conn = client.post("127.0.0.1", server.port, "/");
     conn.onRequest = (req) { req.outputStream.write([0]); };
+    conn.onError = (e) => Expect.isTrue(e is HttpException);
   }
   bool clientClosed = false;
   new Timer.repeating(100, (timer) {
     if (!clientClosed) {
       if (server.connectionsInfo().total == totalConnections) {
         clientClosed = true;
-        client.shutdown();
+        client.shutdown(force: true);
       }
     } else {
       if (server.connectionsInfo().total == 0) {